Teaching internet safety to students

Many students will use the internet every day whether it is in class or at home, but a lot of young students and even some older will often be unaware of the dangers of being online. Surfing the web is great fun and, with caution, can be a safe and secure environment for your students. There are just a few things they should remember.

The internet is forever

Everything you write, upload or post on the internet is stored there forever and most of the time it is completely public. Deleting something that you’ve put on the internet will not always make it completely disappear. A trace of data will be left.

2. Nothing personal

Don’t put anything personal online, such as your full name, phone number or address. Having personal information situated online will leave you vulnerable to attacks by people both online and offline. To check if you have anything online that you don’t want, try googling your name and phone number or address and see what the search results find. If you are on social media, have a trusted friend check your account from theirs.

3. Don’t talk to strangers

Whether it is in a forum, messenger app or chat room, do not talk to anyone you don’t know. This goes for photos as well. Never send photos to people you’ve met online. The general rule for online conversations is to stop talking to anyone who is making you feel uncomfortable or unsafe.

4. Stay calm

Yes, being hacked can be frustrating, but there are a few things you can do to help secure your accounts:

Change your password to a more secure one

Check your sent messages to see if you account is sending out spam. If it is, let your contacts know immediately so they don’t click on anything that will attack their computer.

Use an antivirus to sweep your computer of any nasties

Backup your files on a hard drive so you don’t lose them

We know the topic of internet safety can be dull, especially when you’re trying to explain it to students, but by following these simple guidelines students will be better prepared for any online threats.